John 3:9

9 And Nicodemus answered and sayde vnto him: how can these thinges be?

John 3:9 Meaning and Commentary

John 3:9

Nicodemus answered and said unto him
Remaining still as ignorant as ever, though Christ had explained the phrase "born again", at which he stumbled, by a being "born of water and of the Spirit", or of the grace of the Spirit of God; and had illustrated this by the free, powerful, and invisible blowing of the wind:

how can these things be?
The Arabic version reads, "how can this be?" referring either to the last thing said, that a man's being born of the Spirit, is like the blowing of the wind; or to the explanation of the first expression, that a man should be born of water, and of the Spirit; or to the first assertion itself, that a man should be born again; which notwithstanding the explanation and illustration, seemed as impossible, and as impracticable as ever; or rather to them all, and so the Persic version reads, "how can all these things be?"

John 3:9 In-Context

7 Marvayle not that I sayd to the ye must be boren a newe.

8 The wynde bloweth where he listeth and thou hearest his sounde: but canst not tell whence he cometh and whether he goeth. So is every man that is boren of the sprete.

9 And Nicodemus answered and sayde vnto him: how can these thinges be?

10 Iesus answered and sayde vnto him: arte thou a master in Israel and knowest not these thinges?

11 Verely verely I saye vnto the we speake that we knowe and testify that we have sene: and ye receave not oure witnes.